Summer is a great time to celebrate a birthday! The warm weather provides tons of opportunities to celebrate with your friends outside. Of course, you’ll need to find ways to stay cool during the party. That’s why we’ve put together a list of water party games you can play during the event. Check out our ideas below. We’ll walk you through the instructions and let you know what supplies you need to get started.
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Fun Water Games For A Kids Birthday Party
Beat the heat during your birthday party with these fun water games for kids! These ideas can accommodate parties of all sizes and players of different ages. Now, let’s get started!
Water Racing Games
1. Sponge Water Race
Kick things off with a little competition! Divide the kids into two teams. Ask them to form two lines. Place two empty buckets a few feet away and mark a line across the middle. Then, place two full buckets of water 10-15 feet away from the empty ones.
Give the first in line for each team an empty cup. Once the race kicks off, they can run across the playing field toward the full bucket of water. After they fill up their plastic cups, they’ll run back to the empty bucket as fast as they can and pour the water in. After that, they can hand the cup off to the next player in line. The first team to reach the marker on the empty bucket of water wins!
If you want to make things a little more challenging, you can use the middle channel of a pool noodle to transfer the water instead!
The kids will probably get a little wet during the game, so ask them to change into their bathing suits before you begin. Give each player a beach towel to help them dry off after the game.
2. Water Gun Race
This one doesn’t require too much preparation. All you’ll need is a few rolls of aluminum foil, some water guns, and a couple of rubber duckies to get started.
Unroll your aluminum foil to create two “rivers.” Make sure the amount of foil you use measures twice as long as you want the rivers to be. Fold it in half to create two layers. Then, fold up the sides and fill it up with a few inches of water.
Select two players and hand each a water gun. Place two rubber duckies at the head of either river. Tell them to start squirting until the toys reach the other side!
Water Balloon Games
1. Water Balloon Volleyball
This next water balloon activity offers a fun alternative to traditional volleyball! Head out into the yard and tie a rope to two trees. This will be your net. Then, split the kids up into two teams. Give them each a bedsheet and ask them to hold it open. Place a water balloon on one of the sheets and see if they can flip it over the net to the other team, who has to catch the balloon and send it back to the other side!
2. Water Balloon Toss
Ask the kids to pair up into teams of two. Have them stand a few feet away from each other and toss a water balloon back and forth. Whichever team is last to drop the water balloon, wins! If you want to make your water balloon toss a little more challenging, ask everyone to put a little dish soap or shaving cream on their hands. It will be hard to hold the balloon with such slippery hands. You can also increase the distance between the players after each round.
3. Water Balloon Relay Race
Of course we included a relay race into our list of water games! This one is great when working with a large group of kids. Just grab some water balloons and a couple of chairs to get started.
Create two stations using your chairs and place a water balloon in either seat. Have one member from each team run to the chair and sit on the water balloon until it pops. Then it’s time to tag the next player in line. Remember, you’ll need to replace the water balloons after they pop, so have a few ready to go.
4. Water Balloon Tag
Choose someone to be “it” and hand them a few water balloons. Watch the kids scatter as they try not to get tagged. Whoever gets hit with the water balloon first is now “it.”
5. Pack Your Pants
This game gets a little silly! Pick up a few pairs of XXL men’s sweatpants (make sure they have elastic at the ankles). Divide the kids up into teams and let them decide who is going to put the pants on. They’ll have to stuff the pants with as many water balloons as they can carry across the yard without popping them. Once they reach the other side, they’ll have to carefully place each water balloon in a bucket and run back to their team. Then it’s time for the next player’s turn.
6. DIY Super Soakers
If you don’t like the idea of broken water balloons littering your yard, then you can use sponge balls instead! They also come in different colors, so you won’t miss out on that aspect! Dunk each sponge ball in a bucket of water and distribute one to each of the kids. They can use the balls to play a game of water tag or to engage in a good ol’ fashion water fight!
Backyard Water Games
1. Slip N’ Slide
Slip N’ Slides are fun and easy accessories to incorporate into a birthday bash! Invest in a few and line them up side by side so the kids can experience the rush together!
2. Frozen Feet
Divide your players up into two teams and fill two kiddie pools with water. Place two empty bowls of water into each pool so that they float around. Then, dump a bag of ice cubes into the water. Ask the kids to sit around the edge of the pool and place each ice cube into the bowl using only their feet!
3. Water Limbo
Water limbo is one of our favorite water games! This one is easy. Just turn on the hose and use the water as your limbo stick. Put on some party music and get started! Be sure to lower the stream after each turn.
4. Water Notes
Time to make some music! Grab a bunch of different items from around the house that will make a distinct sound when hit with a strong blast of water. You can use metal cans, plastic cups, beach balls, and so on. Turn on the garden hose or hand out a few super soakers and let the “spraychestra” begin!
5. Water Slide
If you can’t make it to our indoor water park, then set up your own adventure! Place either a kiddie pool or an inflatable boat at the bottom. Fill with water. Pour a pitcher full of water down the top of the slide and send the kids down one by one!
6. Water Squirtball
Get ready for a little more competition! Turn your yard into a sports field and designate two end zones using cones, lawn chairs, or whatever you may have laying around the garage. Give each player a squirt gun. Throw a beach ball into the middle of the field and watch as the kids move the ball around using only their water guns. You can set a time limit to up the stakes. Whoever “scores” first is the winner!
7. Water Jump
Grab a large jump rope and ask two kids to twirl the ends. Hand out a full cup of water to the other partygoers and ask them to start jumping rope. Whoever spills the least from their cup of water is the winner!
8. Frozen Tee
Fold up a few t-shirts and place them in a plastic bag full of water a day before the party. Place it in the freezer overnight. Once the kids arrive, divide the group up into a few teams. Give each group a t-shirt and ask them to thaw it out as fast as they can using only their hands and their body. The first team to get the shirt over their head wins!
9. Kid Canvases
Time to get creative! Have all the kids change into an old bathing suit for this one. Be prepared: it’s bound to get a little messy. Hand out some finger paint and ask the kids to draw different shapes on each other. Once they’re completely covered, ask them to wash it off as fast as possible using a sponge, hose, or even a water gun. The first one to clear their “canvas” wins. Be sure to take a photo of everyone before they wash off all the paint!
10. Frozen Treasure
Fill a large metal bowl with ice. Dump in a few plastic prizes and mix it all together. Pour water on top of the ice and freeze overnight. Break it into pieces and hand each kid their own frozen block. Give them each a rock and see who can get their figures loose first.
Why Are Water Games Good For Your Child?
Though the water games on our list are definitely meant to keep the kids entertained, they can also help them develop in different ways. Each game presents tons of opportunities to help kids work on their fine motor skills and practice hand-eye coordination.
It’s also an easy way to introduce new vocabulary, explore new textures and introduce important life skills. Remember, sharing and cooperation are important elements of any team sport. Of course, it’s not a bad way to cool off either!
Celebrate Your Summer Birthday With Great Wolf Lodge
If you want to celebrate a birthday party outside of the house, think about heading to Great Wolf Lodge! We offer birthday party packages which can include birthday cake, pizza, and drinks, balloons, and water park passes for the day!
We hope you had fun with the different water games on our list. From water balloons to squirt guns, garden hoses to kiddie pools, they’re sure to make a splash! Be sure to reward everyone for their hard work with some ice cream.
Check back in with us soon for more ideas on how to enjoy some family fun this summer. Each week, we’ll be providing new recipes, crafts, and activities you can do from home. We promise you won’t want to miss out on what Wiley and the rest of the Great Wolf Kids get up to next!
